This Week's Project

Once again, my house is looking like something out of an episode of Hoarders.

Everything that used to be in G's bedroom is now in the living room. My Spring Break project is redecorating her bedroom. I last redecorated that room 7 years ago when both G and J lived in that room. Since then, her big sis has moved to a room of her own and G wants different paint, carpet
 and décor. Sigh...

So far, I've pulled almost everything out of the room. It's simply amazing how much crap you can find under a dresser and a bed! We are now down to this...

Actually, that second bedframe is now broken down and the closet is empty. I need to wash down the walls and rip out the carpet. After that, I'll paint the room. I did have enough sense to actually pay someone to install the new carpet. The carpet is ordered and I am hoping it will come in this week so I can schedule installation for the end of this week or early next week.

G also wanted this bedspread for her bed.

It costs $1630!!! Like for JUST the bedspread - not all the other pillows, sheets, etc in the photo. Luckily (for me) it only comes in King and Queen sizes, not twin. Sorry G, can't order it. I did, however, figure out how to make a "replica" bedspread from lace and fabric from JoAnn so that's on the burner for this week too.

What are you doing over Spring Break?

What's your next project?

Derby Training Week 15 ... Did It!!

This was a good week. I had the right balance of work days and workouts and I was able to manage both for once. The weather is getting better too. I committed to running the rest of my runs outside to get used to running the roads and hills. It got cold and rainy towards the end of the week and I really wanted to retreat back to the comfort of my hamster track but I stuck to it and ran outside.

Monday - 10 miles
Tuesday - 5 miles
Wednesday - kettlebell class
Thursday - 5 miles
Friday - 10 mile pace run
Saturday - 20 miles

Week 15 Total Miles: 50

Not much else to say today!

Don't Be Stupid

"Don't be stupid."

That was my mantra for my pace run today. I think I've had more bad pace runs than good ones lately. Today was my last "long" pace run before my marathon. 10 miles. After my disaster 2 weeks ago where I blew up after 5 miles, I really needed a good run.

Sometimes I think I'm just kidding myself thinking I can run a Boston qualifying time. There are days that I think, when push comes to shove, I can pull it off. Other days I think I don't have the endurance to keep pace for 26.2 miles and I wonder, when will I fall apart... 16 miles? 18 miles? 20 miles? 22?

Today's goal was 10 miles at 8:45 pace. 8:50 pace if needed. I just wanted a consistent run.

"Don't be stupid." None of this blasting off for a couple miles and then blowing up.

I was suppose to do this yesterday. However, it was rainy and windy yesterday so I ran 5 miles instead and moved my schedule around. I'm glad I didn't attempt this yesterday cause I ended up getting hit in the thigh by an errant baseball halfway into my run, and then it poured rain on me.

I didn't get around to running today until 5 pm. The kids are on Spring Break and I was having too much fun running around with them and spending hundreds of dollars at Target. Finally, I got myself out the door to play in 5 o'clock traffic.

"Last hard thing I have to do this week." I find myself saying that a lot to myself lately.

"Don't be stupid."

Mile 1 - 8:26   Don't be stupid
Mile 2 - 8:39   Better
Mile 3 - 8:40
Mile 4 - 8:37
Mile 5 - 8:35

Mile 4 is mostly uphill. Mile 5 finishes on an uphill and then I get to turn around and do it all over again. I've been working on striding up all my hills. I think making myself run on the roads for the last 2 weeks is paying off.

Mile 6 - 8:29   Don't be stupid
Mile 7 - 8:35
Mile 8 - 8:34
Mile 9 - 8:27

So I'm still feeling pretty good and I realize I'm going to make my goal. In fact, I feel great! I'm thinking about adding on another 3.1 miles to see what kind of half marathon time I can run today.

"Don't be stupid." Today is not the day to be trying for an unofficial half-marathon PR. Just run what's on the schedule. I have 20 miles tomorrow. Just finish strong today.

Mile 10 - 8:15

 

 

DONE!! I really needed this today. I think so much of distance running is mental. Today I had my head in the game. I think if I can just work on my mental endurance, I CAN DO THIS!

 

That's where my head is today. I've got my last 20 miler tomorrow. I'm going to do 4 more loops of rolly hills and enjoy myself.

Spring Break

 

Spring Break. Just 2 years ago, Spring Break used to be the start of my running season. It's incredible how much things have changed over the last year!

Most years, I sign up for the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. I think I just do it out of habit now. And most years, I always want to run it faster than the year before. It's my mentality when I toe a starting line. Whether I'm prepared or not, if I toe a line, my intention is to run a race, run faster than I ever have before.

I admit it - I am a fair weather runner. I don't generally run outside if its too cold or too hot or if it's pouring rain. I just don't enjoy it. Therefore, most years, I would start my running for the year on Spring Break - in Florida - on a strip of A1A that runs the length of Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce where my in-laws stay in the winter.

Before the new balanced school year calendar that started this year, Spring Break was the first week in April. That would give me, oh, 3-4 weeks at best to go from 0 to 13.1. And yes, I had mastered my 0 to 13.1 training schedule. It always got me to the finish line... in 2-O-something, but never less.

Last year I decided I wanted under 2:00 again. Besides, I wasn't getting any younger and 0 to 13.1 in 3 weeks is kinda hard on the body. I started this blog on February 18th (first post HERE) to push myself a little harder.

Last Spring, I didn't know if I'd ever break 2:00 again but I did. 1:55:45 on May 4th. That made me dream bigger. So now I'm chasing Boston. Something I would never have even thought about at this time last year... and in the process, I ran a 1:53 half in September and had a sub-2:00 split during my marathon in November.

Spring Break 2014. 10 miles today. I've got 50 miles on the schedule this week. I'm planning to run my third 20-miler of the year at the end of the week. What a difference a year makes!

Derby Training Week 14... Recovery

It's one of those moments that sticks with you...

There I was, a first year medical resident on the surgery service. Low man on the totem pole. It was Saturday morning. First day of gun season (for deer) in Michigan. My senior surgical resident called in sick. Then the junior surgical resident called in sick - or rather - his wife and kids were sick and he had to stay home to care for them. Then the first year surgical resident had a family emergency and had to go home. So that left me, who wasn't even a surgery resident, carrying the entire surgery service for the hospital. Then we got a big trauma - some guy who was unlucky enough to have got shot in the head AND chest while deer hunting... it was a sucky day.

So later, the senior surgery resident, who I got along with really well and had a hell of a lot of respect for told me this... He was responsible for everyone on the service and he felt bad calling in sick. However, he was really sick. In the medical profession you spend a whole whole lot of time being a student of sorts. You are an adult. You've graduated college. You've even graduated med school. But then you're a resident and treated like a kid again. At some point though, you will become top dog and there will be no one else to tell you what to do. You are an adult. You will have to decide what to do. You have to be responsible for yourself. You will have to decide if you are too sick to go to work or not. No one is going to send you home from work and there will be no one to ask permission to leave work. If you don't give yourself permission to be sick, no one else will.

This is so true. It's something I see regularly at work. It's adults seeking permission to be sick. It's obvious they're sick. They have a fever of 103. They're throwing up. They feel like crap. Then they say, "Do you think I should stay home?" Duh. What do you think I'm going to say? These are the normal hard-working people* who go to work everyday for a living. They don't need work notes to call in sick yet they want someone else to validate the fact that they are sick and want permission to call in sick.

So, long story short, we're all adults and you have to know when to say when.

Last Saturday after my race was when. I went to work after my race and felt fine. And then I didn't. And then I really didn't. My stomach hurt. I thought I was hungry. I tried to eat. It just made me nauseous and my stomach hurt more. Then all my insides felt like they were going to fall out. It got to the point where I couldn't concentrate on anything I was doing because I was too fixated on either getting to the bathroom or trying to calm my belly cramps. I finally threw in the towel with 3 hours left in my shift.

"Hey guys, I have to go home."

No questions asked. My co-workers booted me out the door. No one wanted to catch whatever badness I had.

I made it home and got as far as my couch. From there I just wanted to die. Sunday was just a lost day. After 24 hours of popsicles and saltines though, I felt a little better. Monday, I ventured out for a run...

So this was a recovery week. Perfect timing. I needed all kinds of recovery. My body needed recovery. My soul needed recovery from this never-ending winter. The sun finally came out. I spent the week running outside. Never mind that it was windy; I was outside in the sun!!

So here's how the week went. All my runs were relaxed and outside.

Monday - 6 miles
Tuesday - 5 miles
Wednesday - kettlebell class, 5 miles
Thursday - 6 miles
Friday - kettlebell class, 12 miles

Week 14 Total Miles: 34

Next week is my last BIG week before the taper. This is it! Time to get all my serious training done. Time to really get my head in the game.


*as oppose to some of our "regulars" who come in for a work note once a month because they've not gone to work that day for some reason or another and need a note saying they've been to the hospital; the ones that ruin it for everyone else and make some employers require work notes

Spring Fling 5K

Someone once asked me why I liked to run races. If you've ever led a race start to finish, it's the feeling of being chased and never being caught.

I set out yesterday with the goal of breaking 24:00. I've run the Spring Fling once before, 2 years ago, before I started doing any actual training programs. That year I finished in 26:06 which was good enough to win the women's master's race. I remembered that I liked the course so I thought it would be a good race to try and make my goal.

The start was strange. It's not a huge race. A little over 100 runners. I usually hang back in the second or third row of runners at the start in races this size. I think I'm fast but not that fast. Certainly not one to toe the starting line at the beginning of a race.

Anyhoos... no one wanted to toe the starting line! We were chipped. The starter gave a 10..9...8...countdown before the starting horn. Still, no one is near the starting mats! Finally, horn goes off and we start. The course loops around a parking lot before hitting a paved trail. I was in third place when we hit the trail. I looked at my watch though and I didn't think I was going unreasonably fast... about 7:10 pace at this point.

I was in sixth place when I went through the mile mark at 7:44. "Too slow" is all I could think. I felt pretty good so I tried to speed it up. I was still sixth at the turnaround. I had about 0.15 miles on the woman behind me and I decided then and there that no one else was going to pass me. I didn't dare look behind me until we got back to the parking lot. I took a quick glance behind me as we dog-legged back into the parking lot. No one in sight. If I was going to break 24:00, I was going to have to push myself. I hadn't looked at my watch since the two mile mark. My split there had been 7:55 but I felt like I was running much faster now. Nothing hurt; just a lot of freight train-like heavy breathing going on. I put my head down and ran like I stole something.

Crossed the finish in 23:06. I got beat by 5 guys. I'd won the women's race!

I got a $20 gift certificate for winning

 

Apparently my Garmin did not pick up correctly so I don't know what my real splits were. When I got done, my time matched the chip time but the distance did not. My Garmin read 2.98 miles. I asked the guy's winner and the guy that finished in front of me what their devices read. The winner had exactly 3.1 miles on his and the guy in front of me had 3.2 miles. When I ran this 2 years ago, my reading had been 3.12 miles so I don't think the course was short today. Anyway, totally elated with 23:06!!

 

I had one more adventure driving home. I was halfway between Plainfield and Mooresville on a county road when there was a loud "boom" and my car swerved off the road. I had to wrestle the steering wheel to get it back on the road and keep control. "What the hell was that?" I never saw anything in the road, my car just jumped and swerved. I drove another 10 miles or so and everything seemed fine. Then, as I slowed down to enter Mooresville, my car started making a funny noise. When I slowed down even more, my steering wheel started shaking and the car didn't handle worth a crap - which was my tell tale sign that I had blown a tire.

 

I ended up crippling it in to an Indy Lube and asked if they had any air. I was hoping to get enough air in my tire to get it home as, I figured, I had driven about 20 miles on it already. Well, the tire wouldn't hold any air. It was in a bay by then and the guy working under it took a look from under the car and said there was a "gash" in the tire; no way it was going to hold any air.

 

the "gash" in my tire

 

They ended up putting my spare on for me so I could drive home. They wouldn't even take any money for doing this for me! All they asked was that I come back and get my oil changed there. So, Indy Lube in Mooresville, Indiana - go get your oil changed there. They are wonderful people and I am definitely going back to give them my business!



Hump Week - Derby Training Week 13

It's Hump Week...

So why is Week 13 of a 18 week training schedule Hump Week? Well, it's the middle week of the "meat and bones" 50 mile training weeks - the weeks where the long run peaks out at 20 miles. There are three of them on the schedule - Week 11, Week 13, and Week 15. It's all a downhill taper after Week 15. Thus, Week 13, this week, is Hump Week.

I've discovered that one of the advantages of actually following a training schedule and logging my runs is that I can actually look back on my training and see where I was in the past. So where was I at Hump Week last time around? I was a Train Wreck.

Last time at 13 weeks, I bailed on a 20 miler and did 9 the following day. Tried my 20 miler again and bailed out at 12. Bagged a couple more runs but capped off the week by running a 1:53 half marathon. I think I'm in better shape this time around but I haven't proven myself in any long runs. Last time around I had more races including a half and a 15K. This time around I'm running my half after my marathon. Do I have enough fast runs in me to run a faster marathon?

So here's how the week has panned out so far...

Sunday - 10 miles. Finally outdoors on rolling hills.
Monday - kettlebells. Worked 9-5:30.
Tuesday - 10 mile pace run...

... so THIS IS WHY I NEED A PACER... looking back at my Train Wreck week, I still managed to pull out a 1:53 half marathon - so 13.1 at 8:37 pace. Am I in shape to do this on my own without a race? I psyched myself up and felt I could run 8:45 pace for 10 miles. I can do this! Off I went...

Mile 1 - 8:22,  I knew it was too fast but I was feeling good
Mile 2 - 8:32,  trying to be more reasonable
Mile 3 - 8:34,  I really shouldn't be going this fast
Mile 4 - 8:39,  this is the really tough mile that goes uphill
Mile 5 - 9:06,  paying for it now plus all my insides feel like they're going to drop out

So I had to stop after Mile 5 to "fix myself." I was back home at this point and made a sprint to the bathroom, drank some fluids, and decided I felt really crappy and light headed. I set out on my 5 mile loop again at a pace my body liked.

Mile 6 - 10:20
Mile 7 - 10:34
Mile 8 - 10:38
Mile 9 - 10:06
Mile 10 - 9:25

Truth is, I'm capable of running a 8:39 average pace for 5 miles but my body likes to run 5 miles at 10:12 pace.

After that fiasco I went to work and got home at 3 am on Wednesday.

Wednesday - 20 miles on the schedule. I woke up and had to go to the dentist. I was going to run
                      after that but I just couldn't do it so I bagged it.

Thursday - 20 miles. Actually felt pretty good and even managed a "fast finish" the last 2 miles. It
                   felt good to run 20 without a problem and have enough energy at the end to finish fast.
                   Taught dance in the evening, then went to work from 10 pm to 7 am Friday.

Friday (today) - bagged my 5 miler. My legs are dead.

Saturday (tomorrow) - Going to try to run a sub-24:00 5K then a 2 mile warm down at the Plainfield
                                    Spring Fling. I've run this once before. The course is similar to the race 2
                                    weeks ago in that it starts out in a parking lot then funnels onto a paved trail.
                                    I think the distance around the parking lot is longer though and I am going to
                                    try and not freak out in the beginning and pace myself better!

If all goes as planned...

Week 13 Total Miles: 45

... and I'll be over the hump!

Derby Training Week 12 - Just Staying Accountable

There are evil! Recipe here

Cookies pretty much sums up my day yesterday. I cooked and ate like a glutton. I went to see my brother and hold his new baby for a couple hours. I slept in and didn't get my run in before I had to schlep kids around. It was cold and gray. I did not get my run in.

So here's how my week shaped up...

Sunday - no run, 10K was canceled
Monday - 6 miles, 9 minute pace
Tuesday - 12 miles
Wednesday - kettlebells, no run; I think our instructor was trying to kill us
Thursday - 5 miles...and OMG, I could hardly WALK from whatever I did in kettlebell class
Friday - 6 miles... and you know what a struggle that was!
Saturday - no run

Week 12 Total Miles: 29

The sun was out again today and I managed to get 10 in. I have another 50 mile week coming up. I'm hoping I got all the "blahs" out of my system yesterday. Now I just need someone to come over and eat the rest of these cookies for me!

It's Like Chocolate...

Running is like a lot of things. Awhile back, I said that running was a lot like childbirth. Today I decided running is also a lot like chocolate...

I love chocolate. There are days I think I could eat it everyday. But I know better. I have overindulged - popped some in my mouth before breakfast or had a sit down all out binge - and then dealt with the after sugar crash... where the thought of EVER putting another piece of chocolate in my mouth just made me sick.

Well today, the thought of having to RUN another step was unbearable...

It was the perfect day. I had the day off. The SUN was out. It was WARM. It felt like SPRING was finally here. I started out by oversleeping. I either never turned my alarm on last night or I turned it off when it went off and went back to sleep. Anyhow, I rolled over to see 5:08 on my clock and missed kettlebell class.

Got the kids off to school and had a 6 miler on my schedule. A little bitty easy 6 miler. Somehow it's the shorter easy runs that I just want to blow off. The harder runs I psych myself up for to get it done. It's the easy ones I really have difficulty doing. There were a zillion other things I wanted to do today - nap on the couch, chase some grocery store deals, finish crocheting a sweater for my new baby niece who will be 2 weeks old today, cook and bake...Anything but go for a run. I'm sick of it. Why do I have to do it so regularly to get better? I have 6 more weeks til Derby. I don't think I can do this for 6 more weeks! I think I am suffering from too much running.

So I did other things. I went and chased some grocery deals at Meijer.

Everything in the photo but the cat for $40.43

Stella totally photo bombed me! It was so funny I left it.

I finished the sweater for my niece...

Yes, that's still my holiday tablecloth...

 



Finally guilt and sunshine coaxed me out. There is a 3 mile stretch of county road that runs past my house. Tag the north end, then the south end and I'll be done.

The photo doesn't do it justice. It was actually a beautiful day. Sunny. Dry pavement. Farm fields waiting to be plowed. It actually wasn't all that bad. So I got it done. I hope I am more enthused tomorrow.

I am rewarding myself by cooking and baking. On the agenda are baked sweet potato chips, chocolate peanut butter globs, kale salad, and minestrone. Pre-cooking a bunch of stuff for next week.

Hoping I am more enthusiastic tomorrow!

The Bestest Fluffiest Pancakes

ISTEP is coming up and the kids had all kids of interesting factoids to share with me...

*Make sure your child gets at least 8 hours of sleep
*Let your child wake up 5 minutes later than usual in a warm soothing environment
*Feed your child a good breakfast of pancakes, sausage, and eggs

Seriously? I didn't get any emails from the school with this advice. Did you?

If I get to have 8 hours of sleep, wake up in a warm soothing environment, and eat pancakes, sausage, and eggs for breakfast, heck I'll go take the ISTEP for them!

This conversation led to me making pancakes for breakfast. Here's my favorite recipe...

Bestest Fluffiest Pancakes

link to original recipe HERE

 

3/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

2 tablespoons butter, melted

blueberries if desired

 

Stir vinegar into milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes to sour milk. The vinegar will activate the baking soda and make bubbles in your batter. Once your batter hits the skillet, the heat will make the bubbles expand and fluff up the pancakes. You can get the same result by using buttermilk.

 

Stir together dry ingredients. Mix in your soured milk, egg, and melted butter.

 

Fold in your blueberries or other desired add ins at this point.

 

I used 3 oz of frozen blueberries. My frozen blueberry stash from last summer is gone but all the grocery stores had these Dole frozen blueberries on closeout. I had coupons so I got them for about 0.50 a package and the individual containers just so happened to be 3 oz each.

 

 

 

Heat your skillet or griddle and spray with a little oil. Spoon batter onto skillet. This batter is super thick so you will need to spread it out a little with the back of your spoon.

 

 

 

Once you start seeing bubbles in the batter and the edges look dry, flip them over. This may take a little longer than usual as the batter is thick. If you turn them too soon you will end up with doughy pancakes.

 

Once you flip them, you will literally see the pancakes rise in front of your eyes. Cook for about 1-2 more minutes then enjoy!

 

Makes about 8 pancakes.

 

YUM!!







Pink Power 5K

First off, my 10K today got cancelled again due to the weather. It is now permanently cancelled. I am resting my legs today and working on catching up on all other house things.

Now onto yesterday's race...

The weather was ideal. The course was good. My legs felt good and they got away from me... the race was run on a People Trail that is slightly wider than a sidewalk. There were 265 people in the race so the start was a little crowded as we funneled from the parking lot onto the People Trail. My legs ended up going a lot faster than my brain wanted to in an effort to get some running room...

0.25 miles - Garmin pace 6:05 Aackk!!
0.50 miles - Garmin pace 6:35
0.75 miles - Garmin pace 7:00
1 mile - 7:16

So then I spent the next quarter to half mile still trying to slow down my pace and I overshot it. The other "problem" was that it was an out-and-back course so I could see where everyone was at the turnaround; I realized I was going to win my age group so I think I got a bit complacent.

2 mile split - 7:55 Drat!!

I spent the next mile alternating between trying to pick up the pace to break 24:00 and just finishing the race because I didn't think I could break 24:00. My legs were getting a little dead too from blowing out that first mile and I think I was tired overall from a big mileage running week.

3 mile split - 8:11
last 0.1 - 1:24.6

Official time - 24:46.6
Average pace - 7:58

Happy that I got my average pace under 8:00 again. Not happy about my lack of pace control!

One of my goals this year is to break 24:00 in the 5K. I need to run a 7:43 pace to do that. I really just need to work on pacing overall as you can see my splits are all over the place again. I'm not doing any dedicated speedwork to get my 5K time down. I guess I'm hoping it will just magically happen as I run more. Really though, I just need better self-control and pace myself!

Final race results: 38 of 265 overall
                              12 of 191 females
                              1 of 18 45-49 female age group (won by 2:03)

Derby Training Weeks 10 and 11

Times a flying by!! Only 7 more weeks til race day. I'm getting nervous already.

All things considered, Week 10 was OK. The week started off in Montana...

Sunday - 4 miles on the hotel treadmill
Monday - 0; Up at 2:45 am to fly home. Home at 3 pm. Too tired to run.
Tuesday - 0; Worked 6:30 am to 3 pm. Too tired to run.
Wednesday - 4 miles + kettlebell class; first class in over a week
Thursday - 9 miles; pace, nailed it!
Friday - 19 miles
Saturday - rest

Week 10 Total Miles: 36

I ended up 9 miles short for the week since I was suppose to run 9 miles on either Monday or Tuesday but was too tired to do it. I considered knocking out 9 on Saturday to make my numbers add up but decided I'd better take my prescribed rest day as Week 11 was going to be a big number week.

Week 11...

Sunday - 5 miles
Monday - 10 miles
Tuesday - 20 miles
Wednesday - kettlebells; no running
Thursday - 10 miles
Friday - kettlebells; no running
Saturday (today) - 5 miles

Week 11 Total Miles: 50

Today's miles consisted of a 5K and a 2 mile warm down. I did OK considering all the mileage I had on my legs this week. I'll post the race wrap up once the official results are up (hopefully tomorrow). I have a 10 K tomorrow too. It's a double header race weekend.

The 10K to be held tomorrow might be cursed. It was the 10K that was originally scheduled for last month but got canceled due to bad weather. Well... rumor has it it's gonna snow 6 inches tomorrow. As of now, race is still on.